Reconnaissance Level Survey, Proposed Bicycle Trail, Fort Yargo State Park, Barrow County

Fort Yargo State Park is located in Barrow County, within the Winder Slope District of the Georgia Piedmont. The area is characterized by rolling hills and narrow stream valleys. Topographic relief is ca. 100'-200'. Much of the area was used for intensive cotton agriculture in the 19th Century, and is now in stands of pines. Agricultural practices and lack of protective ground cover following abandonment of cotton fields resulted in extensive erosion. Most crests and slopes have little or no soil on underlying clay subsoil and deep gullies are common. Remnants of earth and/or stone agricultural terraces are frequently encountered. Deep colluvial soils are frequently found on toe slopes and in valleys, and some streams in the area are deeply incised. The park opened in 1954. The park lake was constructed in 1967. Cabins, campgrounds, picnic areas, and other facilities are built around the "Y" shaped lake, and many of the park's activities are related to boating and fishing. The park is named for Fort Yargo, a log blockhouse located within the park. The blockhouse was constructed in 1792 to protect early settlers from Indian raids. Recent archaeological investigations around the fort indicate that its current location near the southwest corner of the park is not the original site of the fort. Archival research may indicate the area in which the fort was built and additional archaeological investigations within that area may discover the original fort site. A 1962 USGS topographic map indicates several structures were present in the park at that time. Few of their locations have been recorded. A search of the Georgia Archaeological Site File database shows that prior to recent reports on the blockhouse and an unmarked cemetery, no sites had been recorded in the park.